Rotary pressing machine safety means



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ROTARY PRESSING MACHINE SAFETY MEANS Ole H. Langen, Minneapolis, Minn.,assignor to The Unipress Company, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Mirna, acorporation of Minnesota Application March 16, 1956, Serial N 0. 572,018

8 Claims. (Cl. 38-22) I This invention relates to improvements in rotarypressing machines of the type having a plurality of individual pressingmachines of what are ordinarily of the stationary type, mounted on aframe or turntable which is arranged to be rotated on a vertical axis.Such rotary pressing machines are exemplified in Patent 2,669,044 andvarious other patents of the prior art.

All modern prior art pressing machines of this type and as exemplifiedin the aforesaid patent and other patents of the prior art utilizeseparate individual presses of the type having steam heated presserheads and usually, also have steam heated bucks. The mechanism in eachpress for moving the head against the buck for pressing is almost alwaysan air motor, suitably controlled although other motor forms may beused. Air under pressure, for'operating the air motor of the severalpresses on the rotary frame is conducted from the base, then thru arotary gland at the axis of the rotary frame and to a supply line onthe-rotary frame which feeds the several presses, which are controlled,usually by automatic valves so as that each is closed in succession at acertain point in their rotary path of motion (as they are carried by therotary frame) and successively opened at another point. The air underpressure from the common supply line holds the presses closed during thepressing operation of the cycle.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the safety of suchrotary multiple press, pressing machines, and to provide mechanismwhereby all presses may be opened, under emergency conditions, from anyone of a plurality of stations on or near the machine.

It is another object of'the invention to provide an improved multiplepress pressing machine of the aforesaid type having a plurality ofemergency open controls, for immediately and summarily opening allpresses, from one or more emergency open stations on or adjacent 'to thepressing machine.

Other objects of the invention are those inherent in th apparatushereinafter illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein correspondingnumerals refer to the same parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a representative type of pressingmachine embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematicvertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction ofarrows 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a-view partially as a schematic partial verby lines XA--XB;YA-YB; I

Referring to the drawings, and with particular reference to Figures 1and 2, it may be stated in general, that the pressing machine of thetype of which the present invention is an improvement consists of arotary turntable of low elevation that is adapted to be placed on thefloor and upon which there are mounted a plurality of individualpressing machines. The pressing machines are of the laundry or garmentpressing type and may have the same or different types of bucks andheads for pressing the same or different portions of garments or laundryitems. While pressing machines of this type may be built as a unitarystructure, for ease of manufacture and reduction in cost it has beenfound that ordinary individual air driven, steam heated pressingmachines may be used to advantage, such individual pressing machinesbeing mounted in regularly spaced relationship around the pcriphery ofthe rotary turntable of low elevation. In such mechanical organizationthe presses are thus rotated one at a time in succession in front of anoperator station. Prior to reaching the operator station each press isautomatically controlled by its rotary movement so as to actuate thepress to open-press position and the operator may, without moving fromher position, remove the pressed garment and lay an unpressed garment onthe buck. Usually the rotation of the press is continuous (but it may beoperator-controlled as to speed, or discontinuous), the removal of thepressed garment and replacement of the unpressed garments on the bucksbeing effected while the pressing machine moves at its regular rate (orat a slower rate or temporarily halted) ,at operator station. Then asthe pressing progresses along its rotary path of motion it reaches aposition adjacent to and safely beyond the operator station, whereprovision is made for automatically actuating controls of thepressingmachine to cause the presser head to move against the buck intopressing relationship therewith. The actuation of the controls may beaccomplished by various means, such as cams that are mounted on thefloor or upon supports and which are engaged by appropriate mechanismson the presses, as it moves past a predetermined station, which is knownas the closing station. Each press then automatically closes and remainsclosed as it continues its course of travel around its circular path'of' motion being carried around by the rotary platform and during suchclosed condition (which is the pressing portion of the cycle) the pressis held closed bycontinuous application of air line pressure, which ifreleased, would permit the press to open. At-a predetermined station,known as the opening station, appropriate controls are actuated by camsor other mechanisms, such as timers, so as to release air line pressure,so as to cause each press to open in succession and each press, then isin an open condition when it again reaches the operator station. 7

It is in this class of pressing machines that the invention hereinafterdescribed constitutes improvements. For purposes of illustration, butnot by way of limitation there is herein illustrated a rotary pressingmachine resembling that shown in the Patent 2,669,044.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures-1 and 2, the pressingmachine includes a central floor plate 10 which is adapted to be placedor bolted upon the floor 11 on which the pressing machine is installed.Upon the plate 10 there is a central stationary pivot 12. The pivotshaft 12 which is hollow,'serves to support a suitable ball or sleevebearing assembly 18 which is mounted in or on the main flange 16 of thecircular rotary fraine plate 17. The bearing 18 is usually-constructedsoas to serve as a thrust bearing to receive the weight load at thecenter of the rotary frame plate 17. The plate 17 preferably of'circularshape and near its periphery'it is reinforced by ring channels 20 and 21which are posi tioned so that their flanges are oppositely directed andare of such a diameter as to leave a space between the webs of theflanges. Within this space are mounted a plurality of wheels 22.Greatest rigidity is provided by placing two or more of the wheels 22under each of the presses that are mounted upon the rotary frame plate17 so as to steady the plate 17 against vibration due to the opening andclosing of the presses. Plate 17 may, if desired, have radial stiffeningWebs not illustrated in order to increase its rigidity. The wheels 22may be rubber tired, if desired, and the wheels 22 may run directly uponthe floor 11 where the floor has suflicient evenness. Where theinstallation is made on a rough or uneven floor 11, it is preferable toplace a circular sheet metal track 24 on the floor along the path wherethe wheels 22 track. The axis of each of the wheels 22 is radial inrespect to the central pivot axis 12.

' For rotating the circular frame plate 17 and all elements carriedthereon, there is provided a belt 25 which may be a chain belt, as shownin Figure 1, which passes over a pulley 26 that is mounted upon radialarm 27, the arm being pivoted at 28 to the floor. An adjustment screw 30mounted in the stationary bracket 31 is positioned so as to bear againstthe arm 27 so as to move it arcuately and thus permit tightening orloosening of the belt 25. The belt 25 also runs over the driven pulley32. The pulley 32 rotates at slow speed and is preferably driven by anelectric motor 34 through a gear box. It is preferable to use a motor 34which is capable of speed variations, such as a wound rotor repulsioninduction motor, a shunt type direct current motor or the like. It isperfectly feasible to utilize an air driven motor 34 of constant orvariable speed construction application where such is desired, thecontrols therefor being then appropriately selected for controlling thespeed and operation of the motor 34.

Upon rotary base 17 there are mounted a plurality of pressing machinesgenerally designated A, B, C and D in Figures 1 and 2. Any suitablenumber of pressing machines greater than one may be utilized, dependingupon the size and capacity of the unit and the type of work desired tobe done by means of the installation. Four pressing machines are shownin the illustrated embodiment of the invention and are spaced evenlyaround the rotary frame plate 17. The rotation of the frame plate 17 isin the direction of the arrow 35 and rotation of the drive pulley 32 isshown by the arrow 36. An operator station indicated by the floor pad 37extends through approximately one-quarter of the circular path of motionof the floor plate 17 and presses AD mounted thereon. Adjacent theterminating edge 38 of the operator station, there is provided aprotective guard 40 which likewise extends through approximatelyone-quarter of the path of rotation of the floor plate 17 and thepresses mounted thereon. The guard 40 roughly defines the position of apress at the closing station, it being understood that the guard extendssomewhat ahead of and behind the position where the presses close at theclosing station and is sufiiciently high so as adequately to safeguardany person from introducing members of the body into the press while thepress is closing. From the termination of the closing station, which isat the position approximately shown by press D in Figure 1, andcontinuing in the direction of arrow 35, there is a portion of the pathof motion during which the pressing part of the cycle takes place.During this portion of the cycle the pressing head is closed down uponthe buck and is held down (closed) so long as line air pressure ismaintained on the air motor of the press. The opening station is betweenthe position in which press B is shown in Figure 1, which is stillclosed, and the leading edge 41 of the .operator station. At the openingstation each press is opened by discontinuing the application of lineair-pressure and exhausting the air motor of the press, thereupon 4 thepress will then be opened by its springs, as is well known.

The closing station actuator is shown generally at 42 and the openingstation actuator is shown generally at 45.

Adjacent the leading edge of the guard 40 there is a control panelgenerally designated 46, in which the On- Oif controls of motor 34 andspeed controls therefor, as well as Emergency Opening controls for allpresses may be located, convenient to the operator.

The presses AD (or any number which are mounted upon the rotary floorplate 17), may be of any desired individually power driven presses.Present day presses are usually air driven and in the embodiment of theinvention herein illustrated, the presses AD are of the type shown inPatent Re. 22,041, although it is to be understood that any suitable oneor two cylinder air press, or other power driven press may be utilized.Thus, for example, the presses AD can be single cylinder air drivenpresses of which the type shown in Patent 2,265,449 is exemplary, orthey can be multiple air cylinder presses. The use of electricallyactuated presses is within the purview of the invention.

In the exemplified showing of the invention illustrated in Figure 2,each of the pressing machines includes a frame 52 which is suitablyattached to the circular revolving frame plate 17. The type of pressesillustrated is a two-cylinder press, but as hereinbefore stated, this ismerely exemplary of any type of power actuated presses that may be used.In the presses shown, each has a press frame and upon the frame 52 thereis mounted a stationary buck 54 and a presser arm 55 which is pivoted at56. The presser arm carries a presser head 57 which is movable from anopen position (as shown for press A at the left in Figure 2), to theclosed position (as shown for press D at the right in Figure 2). Themovement of the press from open to closed position and from closed toopen position is accomplished by means of an air or other fluid motorssuitably controlled by push-button type valves. The press closes whenthe power energy is applied, and is held closed by continued applicationof such energy. It is spring biased to open when application of power isdiscontinued.

In Patent Re. 22,041, which explains the operation of presses of thistype, the air cylinders for operating the press are energized throughtwo-hand control valves that are (in the case of a single pressingmachine), located near the front of the pressing machine on the worktable beneath the bucks. In the present instance these two valves(corresponding to the two hand control valves) are located at 75 and 76near the base of the press (as'in Patent 2,669,044) and when they areoperated, air under pressure is introduced from the air supply pipe foroperating the press. Valves 75 and 76 are normally closed but when bothare opened (by actuation of their cams 87 and 86 respectively) air istransmitted therethrough a pneumatic or mechanical linkage 72, Figure 3(see also Patent 2,669,044) and this moves a master valve 70 to one ofits two positions namely Press Close" position. Air is then introducedfrom the air pressure supply line 78, of the press under consideration,thru master valve 70 to air line 81, leading to closing cylinder 58 andsqueezing cylinder 61. Air so introduced causes pressing machinelinkages 55, 65 and cam 68 to effectuate closing and then squeezing ofthe presser head 57 against buck 54. The press remains closed untilmaster valve is moved to the other of its positions, namely Press Open.This is accomplished when opening pilot valve 82 is actuated by itsOpening cam 90, Figure 3, to which actuates a pneumatic or mechanicallinkage 71, which, when actuated shifts the master valve to the Exhaustor Opening position. This cuts off air pressure from the supply line,exhausts cylinders 58 and 61 and the press opens under action of springs(not shown). Valve 82 is normally closed by spring action,

but when actuated air is admitted through it for operating theappropriate press controls for opening the press as described. Theforegoing controls are described in greater detail in Patents 2,669,044and Re. 22,041. It is to be understood that any suitable controls forthe presses A, B, C, and D may be utilized, depending upon the style ofthe press, and that the specific illustration herein given is thereforeonly exemplary. For simplicity, in Figure 3 hereof the pneumatic linkagebetween the valves 7576 and master valve 70 and between valve 82 andmaster valve 70 are shown as mere dotted lines, and indeed a directmechanical link can be used as in Patent 2,63 ,965, if desired.

Each of the presses A, B, C and D is provided with a set of closingvalves (or actuators) corresponding to 75 and 76 and with an opening orrelease valve (or actuator) corresponding to valve 82 of press A. Thesemay be located at any location on the press or on the rotary frame 17,which is convenient. For example, they may be located at the front lowerleft portion of each press as illustrated in the present exemplifiedform of the invention or at any place on the rotating frame 17 or partsmovable therewith so that the valves or mechanical linkages may beoperated by stationary stops or cams as the presses move along theircircular path of motion. The criterion is to have each press close afterit has reached a safe location with a perscribed space (as within theguard 40). The closing cams are located accordingly. The criterion isalso to have each press open as it comes to the operating station andthe opening cam is located accordingly. 4

Thus, as each press reaches'the closing station 42 the cams 86 and 87cause actuation of the press and the presser head 57 closes upon buck54. The continued rotation of the frame 17 carries the then closed pressin the direction of arrow 35 and the pressing action takes place untilthe operating controls of the press are brought adjacent the openingstation 45 at which place a single cam 90, which is mounted upon apedestal under the cover 45, actuates the operating stem of the releasevalve 82, thereby causing release of each press as it comes past theopening station 45. The thus opened press continues around through theoperator station 37. The operator removes the pressed garment and lays afresh unpressed or damp garment on the buck while the rotation iscontinued, or two operators, if desired, may be at the operating station37, one who will remove the garments and another to place the unpressedgarments on the buck. The then open press with the unpressed garment onthe buck then continues around to the station 42 where closure of thepress is occasioned as preyiously described.

Each of the presses A, B, C and D has steam heated presser heads 57 andif desired may also provide heat (steam heat), for the bucks 54. Thesteam supply line 49 and condensate return line 50 and also the airpressure supply line 48 are arranged concentric with the axis ofrotation of the rotary platform 17 and are brought in from above orbelow (or partly above and partly below) as may be convenient in theparticular installation in Figure 3, the air supply line 48 enters fromabove (or below) and passes thru a rotary gland 48X and then passes thrupipe 483 to the Emergency press release valve IV, thence thru pipe 48Ato a junction coupling 48C whence the air pressure is then supplied toeach press via a connector pipe 78. In Figure 2, the steam supply is viapipe 49 to rotary gland 47Z, which also serves as a junction thru whichsteam lines 478 radiate to the presses. Condensate return is viaconnector pipes 47R which leads to 47Y which is a junction and also arotary gland connected to pipe 50.

According to the present invention added safety is provided by havingone or more Emergency press release valves in the air supply lineleading to the entire rotary pressing machine. While one such emergencypress release valvewill suflice'to provide safety,- I prefer to utilizeseveral suchvalves connected in series in the air supply line and tolocate those strategically at convenient places around and on the rotarypressing machine so as to be convenient for operation by the operatornear the press. As an illustration, four such valves are shown, i.e.emergency press open valves I, II, III, and IV. The first three (i.e. I,II and III), or at least one of them, is mounted on a stationary portionof the machine, preferably on control panel 46, for if an operators handor arm should be trapped, the operator would be pulled toward panel 46,and one such emergency release valve is therefore located on panel 46 atlocation I. This valve may be mounted so as to beactuated to emergencypress opening condition merely by leaning against valve I or against thecontrol panel 46. Other locations are also provided, as at H, where thevalve can be actuated by hand or knee and at III where anyone near themachine can operate it. One or more valves IV may be located on therotary pressing machine frame 14 between the rotary gland 47X and thedistributor coupling 48C leading to the presses. Thisvalve or valves IV,preferably is located and/or provided with an actu ator so that it canbe actuated by the machine operator or anyone near the machine.

The desideratum is that there should be one or more such emergency pressrelease valves provided for shutting off air to all of the presses andsimultaneously exhausting all air motors of all presses. When any of theEmergency" press release valves are operated to the Open position, allpresses on the rotary frame are immediately and summarily open. Themanner in which this objective is accomplished will be clear from anexamination of Figure 3.

All of the valves I, II, III and IV, or as many as ar used, are of thesame construction as the master valve 70 of the individual presses, theconstruction details of which are described in Patents 2,669,044 and Re.22,041. Thus, referring to valve I which is representative, it is of therotary type; it has threeports, namely a supply line port 100, adelivery port 101 and an exhaust port 103. Internally the valve has aplug or disk rotor 105 having a channel 106 so shaped that when in thefull line position (shown in Figure 3), air is delivered from supplyport to delivery port 101 and the exhaust port 103 is closed and whenthe rotor-105 isrotated, via its handle 107 so as to bring the channel106 into dotted line position 106A (of Figure 3), the supply line 100 isclosed off and the delivery (or pressing machine) line 101 is connectedto the exhaustport 103. Hence when the handle 107 is moved from the fullline position to the dotted line position the press supply line .101 is:ex} hausted and the motors of any presses that may be closed (and hencehas air pressure supplied to their cylinders) will likewise be exhaustedimmediately and summarily. Such press then immediately opens underinfluence of their springs.

By examination of Figure 3, it will be seen that the emergency pressopening valves I, II, III and IV are connected serially with thedelivery port of each valve being connected to the supply port of thenext valve in the series. Thus delivery port 101 of valve I is connectedto supply port 100A of valve II and delivery port 101A of valveII isconnected to supply port 100B of valve III and delivery port 101B ofvalve III is connected thru pipe 48 and rotary gland 47X and pipe 48A tosupply port 100C of valve IV and its delivery port 1010 is connectedthru pipe 48B to distributor coupling 48C which is in turn connectedthru the individual air supply connection pipes 78 to each of thepresses.

When any of the Emergency valves I thru IV is moved from its full lineto its dotted line position, the net result is that the entire airsystem from that valve to all of the presses is exhausted of air andhence any closed press will immediately be opened.

" As manylapparently widely varying embodiments of this invention may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodimentsherein.

The form of the invention shown and described must be considered only asillustrative. Many variations within the scope of the inventionillustrated, described and claimed will be apparent to those skilled inthe art, and the invention is therefore not to be limited except asstated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pressing machine having a rotary turntable upon which are mounted aplurality of presses which are moved past an operator station insuccession and in which such presses each have a buck, a presser headmounted for movement toward and away from the buck and normally biasedaway from it, a motor for moving the head against the buck and forholding the head against the buck so long as the motor has power appliedthereto, and motor control means on each press and connected to themotor and automatically operable as the turntable is rotated to causeactuation of the motor of each press and hence movement of the headthereof against the buck thereof, successively during a certain portionof the rotation of the turntable, said pressing machine being furthercharacterized by having spring means for automatically opening thepresses when application of power to the motors thereof is discontinued,and also, characterized by having a common power supply main leading tothe rotary turntable and extending thru separate branches thereon thruthe motor control means of the individual presses and to the motorsthereof, and unbiased emergency valve means connected serially in saidcommon power supply main for interrupting the flow of power thru saidpower supply main.

2. The pressing machine of claim 1 further characterized in that saidemergency means comprises more than one spacially located emergencyoperable device serially connected in said main, the operation of anyone of which devices interrupts said power supply main.

3. The pressing machine of claim 2 further characterized in that atleast one of said emergency operable devices is located at the operatorstation.

4. The pressing machine of claim 2 further characterized in that atleast one of said emergency operable devices is located at the operatorstation and another is located in the rotary turntable.

5. A pressing machine have a rotary turntable upon which are mounted aplurality of presses which are brought past an operator station insuccession and in which such presses each have a buck, a presser headmounted for movement toward and away from the buck,

an air 'mdtor'tor moving the head against the buck, and valve means oneach press and connected to the air motor and automatically operable asthe turntable is rotated to cause actuation of the air motor of eachpress and hence movement of the head thereof against the buck thereof,successively during a certain portion of the rotation of the turntable,said pressing machine being further characterized by having bias meansfor moving the presser head away from the buck when application of airto the air motor is discontinued and the air motor is exhausted and alsocharacterized by having a common compressed air supply main leading tothe rotary turntable and extending thru separate branches on theturntable and thru the valve means of the presses and to the air motorsthereof, and unbiased two position emergency valve means having a normalposition in which air is conducted through the valve and an emergencyexhaust position in which the supply of air is shut off by the valve andthat portion of the valve connected to the pressing machine has the airexhausted therefrom, said valves being connected in said common airsupply main, said two-position valve when in its normal position beingeffective to close said exhaust and conduct air under pressure therethruand thru to said common air supply main and when moved to its emergencyposition being effective to close said main and to open its exhaust portconnected to that port of the main which leads to the pressing machines.

6. The pressing machine of claim 5 further characterized in that saidemergency valve means includes more than one such two position valve,such valves being mounted at several locations at least one of whichlocations is adjacent said operator station. 7. The pressing machine ofclaim 6 further characterized in that the location of one such valve isadjacent the rotary frame and spaced around said frame away from theoperators station.

8. The pressing machine of claim 6 further characterized in that suchlocations include one location adjacent the operator station and anotherlocation adjacent the pressing machine at another point around the pathof movement of said presses on said rotary frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,006,629 Davis July 2, 1935 2,007,607 Johnson July 9, 1935 2,022,951Cohen Dec. 3, 1935 2,632,965 Leef Mar. 31, 1953 2,632,966 Leef Mar. 31,1953 2,669,044 Maxwell et al. Feb. 16, 1954

